


Express

by spyder_m



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: Cloti Confessions 2020, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:20:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23211661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spyder_m/pseuds/spyder_m
Summary: While making some Valentine’s Day deliveries for Tifa, Cloud couldn't help but notice she'd made chocolate for seemingly all their male friends except him. Unsure of what he’d done to upset her, Cloud decides to break from tradition and give her a White Day gift anyway. Little does he realise, Tifa had her reasons for leaving him out. Late submission for Final Heaven's Cloti Confessions 2020 White Day Event.
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife
Comments: 10
Kudos: 135





	Express

**Author's Note:**

> Wanted to submit something for Final Heaven's Cloti Confessions Event but didn't get anything done in time for Part 1 on Valentine's Day. So, I decided to write both Valentine's and White Day into one story. Hope you enjoy.

“My teacher says that Valentine’s Day is coming up.”

It was during a lull in the dinner rush that Marlene spoke up, knowing not to bother Tifa when she was busy with customers. Papa had always taught her it was bad manners to interrupt people.

She had glanced up from her homework, watching expectantly as Tifa moved around the bar; wiping down tables and clearing used glasses; hoping to catch her attention.

"That's right," Tifa answered with a smile.

It was a day she had been anticipating, normally a busy time of year for Seventh Heaven. With the recent passing of the Stigma, she expected business would be booming once again. Couples would flock to different venues across the city, hoping to enjoy a romantic evening together, while those spending the night alone sought somewhere to drown their sorrows.

Though Tifa may dread the stress of the spike in customers, the revenue they brought with them always made it worthwhile.

“Well," Marlene continued. "My teacher says that on Valentine's Day girls are supposed to give chocolate to boys...”

Tifa stilled in her practised motion of wiping down the countertop, a frown sullying her expression.

It was a conversation she had suspected might come up soon. Marlene and Denzel were both approaching their pre-teen years, the point where those feelings and hormones began bubbling up. It wouldn't be long before she would need to think about organising them their own, separate rooms.

Still, despite the thought she'd given the topic, it was still something Tifa found difficult to approach as a parental figure. Having lost her mother at a young age, she didn't have much experience to draw upon. Given the rather muddled state of her relationship with Cloud; the difficulty they each faced with expressing their own feelings; Tifa wasn't sure she was in the best position to offer advice.

Though, with Barrett away, Tifa felt the responsibility fell to her. Her father might not be in the clearest state of mind, anyway; learning his little girl was developing an interest in boys.

Tifa set the washcloth down, collecting in her mind, what she hoped was a tactful string of words. Yet, before she could finish piecing together her answer, Marlene spoke up again.

"I want to make chocolates for Papa... Denzel too. Tifa, can you help me?"

Blinking, an exhale of relief broke from Tifa's lips as the realisation settled in.

In her line of work, the focus was typically placed on the romantic aspect of Valentine's, forgetting there was another element to it entirely.

The gifts shared on the holiday could hold different meanings.

Chocolates were also given by women to the men they held platonic, familial relationships with. Marlene's school must have been introducing the concept to their students, suggesting they make chocolate for the boys in their class and who they were friends with.

Satisfied, Tifa nodded to Marlene with a smile.

"Of course, sweetie."

.

“So, Tifa. Are you going to make chocolates for Cloud?”

Tifa's hand slipped, almost spilling the batter she had been carefully pouring into the mould. Having worked in diligent silence; following the steps outlined in the recipe she'd written out; it startled Tifa when Marlene spoke up suddenly.

Her gaze shifted, catching Marlene's eyes weighing on her in genuine curiosity. 

She hadn't made any plans for Valentine's Day herself, not having taken part in the tradition since she was a child; concerned more so with the impending customer rush. Though with the remnants and Geostigma vanquished, she supposed the celebration could be an opportunity to welcome Cloud back home, to thank Barrett for his years of support.

Perhaps she could even send some chocolates out to Cid, Reeve and… Well, she wasn’t sure if Vincent liked sweets, but perhaps he would appreciate the gesture, regardless.

“Yes, I suppose I should. And your papa too.” Tifa tacked on.

“No, not those kinds of chocolate!" Marlene protested, arms folding in exasperation. "The chocolate you give to boys that you like.”

"W- What are you talking about Marlene?" Tifa ducked her head, focus drawn intently back towards the mixture before them.

The lilt of confusion in her voice was noticeably strained, too much so to seem genuine. Marlene smiled, suspecting that she had been on the mark.

The young girl was quite intuitive beyond her years.

Thinking on it, Tifa wouldn't have been surprised if this had all been a ploy of hers to bring them closer together.

It was an idea so inherently Marlene, innocent and idealistic. The thought that her guardians could be brought together through a lone, affectionate gesture. That the years of tension between them would magically dissipate and their lingering, dormant feelings would spring back to the surface once more.

As taken as Tifa was by the romance of the idea; as much as she wished things could be that simple; she was too grounded in reality. That naive sense of hope had been stripped away over the course of her short life, the trials she had survived through.

Their relationship was complicated. No chocolates or cards could encapsulate all that they had been through together, every feeling that she wanted to express to him. They had strayed too far from the children in Nibleheim who might have taken part in such a tradition.

Besides, with Cloud having only recently returned home, their family unit had begun to regain a semblance of normality, its old shape. She didn’t want to risk damaging that by pressuring Cloud too much, too soon. 

Shaking her head, Tifa remained firm in her decision. She would make the offering as a token of their friendship, their business partnership, as family, but nothing more.

Though, while the chocolates set; on the surface, practically indistinguishable from one another; Tifa recognised they were not the same. That, somehow, Cloud's chocolates seemed out of place from what she'd made for Barrett or Cid.

Consciously, she may have followed the recipe precisely each time, there were still feelings contained in Cloud's batch much stronger, born of an inherent care and affection she held for him.

To present them out of obligation, or even friendship would be dishonest. Her heart had already acted independently of her mind, a warmth flowing into the batter that she could not contain. While it was a feeling Tifa may have been able to place or convey effectively through words, she sensed it was something much deeper.

\- February 14th -

Mornings had become a ritual she enjoyed sharing with him.

Early starts were something they held in common. Her, needing time to prepare the bar for the evening peak and him aiming to have his deliveries finished early, allowing for fewer late-nights home and more time to his family. 

With the kids not needing, or wanting, to be coaxed out of bed for at least another hour, Tifa appreciated the company.

The bleak, grey skies that stretched across Edge before drawn had once struck her as oppressive and lonely; a reminder of the fear and affliction that crippled so many throughout the city, that had torn him away from her. With time, she found herself focusing more on the light, the flecks of pink and blue, bursting through.

Though they wouldn't always exchange much in the way of contact, or even words, she could feel herself steadily drawing more of Cloud back out. The subtle, occasional tilt of his lips, the shadow of a smile, an even rarer, gentle touch of his hand at her shoulder, lingering as he made his goodbyes.

Mostly, however, she was content to remain in silence.

There was something calming about being in his presence as they basked in the light of dawn breaking through the kitchen. It seemed routine, domestic.

It reminded her of how much she'd missed him.

Though, on this morning, she sat before him a bundle of nerves, dreading she might give herself away.

It hung in her every action. From her concentrated efforts to not make conversation, to how her eyes would deliberately draw away from his own; fixated upon her breakfast.

It was doubtful that Cloud hadn’t sensed something off with her. While at times, he may have seemed insensitive to others' emotions, he'd always been adept at reading her.

With that in mind, it seemed best to cast her embarrassment aside.

Catching her bottom lip between her teeth, Tifa willed herself to speak up, to break the silence she normally savoured and offer up the package kept secure behind her back.

Instead, they remained caught at opposite ends of the table, a seemingly endless void between them. The fingers on Tifa's free hand pushed absently at the scraps of untouched food lining her plate, wanting to reach out to him, caught internally between acting on her feelings and being crippled by insecurity.

She flinched as Cloud's chair dragged along the kitchen floor, and he rose to his feet. Her eyes still did not lift, but Tifa could follow the pattern of his feet across the tiled floor as he moved through the kitchen.

"I'm off." He announced eventually, setting his coffee mug in the sink.

“Wait, Cloud!" Tifa called abruptly, moving to stand herself. "Before you leave, if you don't mind- I actually have some packages for you.”

"For me?"

"Well," Tifa reiterated, voice subdued once more. "Some things I need you to deliver."

.

Of all the things Tifa could be keeping secret from him, a small, innocuous bundle of parcels; seemingly all addressed to their friends; had not been what Cloud had expected.

It was odd that she would be bashful over such a simple request. He'd transported packages for her many times before. With all the help she'd given his business in the past; taking calls, relaying messages onto him; it was only fair.

Perhaps she felt guilty asking at such short notice? Cloud wasn't entirely sure.

Still, he was curious as to what Tifa was needed to be delivered. Usually, when she asked a favour of him, it wasn't to send packages out, but rather make a pickup. Most often, of ingredients for 7th Heaven. Hops, spices and exotic fruits or vegetables were value commodities for Tifa, who liked to keep her menu fresh with unique recipes or brews. 

It wasn't until Cloud arrived at Corel and handed Barrett over his package; a heart-shaped note attached in Marlene's neat handwriting; that it struck him.

Of course, he recalled. It was Valentine's Day.

Curious and eager to see what his daughter had sent, Barrett immediately tore into the paper, revealing a box of hand-made chocolates.

It brought a smile to Cloud's face watching the burly ex-Avalanche member’s eyes water, as he gushed over the lovingly made treats; promising to call his baby girl as soon as Cloud left.

After all that their small found family had endured, the scene was touching.

Though, Cloud felt his lips crease into a frown as he lingered, staring at the note. The note, he noticed, that was signed from both Marlene and Tifa.

.

Cloud knew there was no reason for him to feel jealous.

After he had left Tifa without a word all those weeks ago, she had every right to be upset with him. She certainly didn't owe him anything, much less a display of affection as open as Valentine's Chocolates.

Still, he couldn't suppress the resentment that bubbled up in his chest with each carefully planned gift he handed over to another of their friends; seeing the flash of genuine surprise and joy it brought them.

He grew ever conscious that Tifa had apparently made chocolates for all of her male friends but him.

Before mounting Fenrir once again, Cloud would rummage thoroughly through each of the bike's compartments, hoping to find a lone, errant package that he'd somehow missed; hidden in the far-reaching corners.

But, each time, his hand would retreat, empty.

The feeling it brought Cloud wasn't unlike what he'd experienced as a shy, young boy in Nibleheim, watching from afar as Tifa Lockhart played with her friends.

As the day carried on, he became all the more taken by the urge to leave the gifts out in the warm, midday sun. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to so callously ruin Tifa and Marlene's hard work, knowing how much it would hurt them.

When he later stopped by Rocket Town, Cid had been insistent that he come in and enjoy the treats with him over tea. Cloud had refused, claiming he was behind on schedule, but already imagining the bitter taste the chocolates would leave on his tongue.

"Fair enough," Cid chuckled, his grin sly. "I suppose you get to eat stuff like this all the time."

Cloud couldn't help but suspect that the bite to Cid's seemingly innocuous words was intentional, as if he sensed something was amiss.

Either way, Cloud left Rocket Town in a fouler mood than he had entered it.

He knew he was being irritational. He didn't suspect for a moment that any of the chocolates were meant as romantic gestures; particularly as many of them came co-signed by Marlene. But, even if any were, why should it bother him?

Tifa was her own person, and a lot had passed them by over the years. For all he knew, the feelings he suspected she once held for him, could have been among them.

Still, to not even receive chocolates from her, as a sign of their friendship, stung.

Cloud had felt, slowly, more comfortable in opening up to her again, that things were steadily progressing back to how they’d once been. Though, in actuality, it seemed his actions had hurt Tifa far more than he’d initially realised. 

Being on the road with nothing but his thoughts and the throttle of Fenrir's engine; tires dragging against the winding bitumen; gave Cloud time to ponder.

It seemed that now, for all the effort and frustration Tifa had exuded trying to bring him happiness; to create a loving, stable home for their family; the onus to mend things fell on him. Cloud, for once, would need to take the initiative.

Perhaps he should break from tradition. Give her something on White Day, despite not having been prompted, and apologise. Properly.

Maybe that could set their relationship back on track.

But for now, he resolved, as he turned Fenrir into the alley behind Seventh Heaven, he would simply offer her a simple reassurance. It wouldn’t be words or even presents, but his actions, that proved things would be different from now on.

"I'm back," Cloud announced, as he stepped through the garage back into the bar. His greeting carried through the empty room, unanswered and Cloud sighed, hand fisting into matted, windswept hair.

Despite spacing his deliveries out over several days and encouraging customers to get their Valentine’s orders prepared early, the day had still been long and draining for Cloud. The mental and emotional taxing he had put himself through, certainly hadn't made things easier.

It pained Cloud to realise that, even with his best efforts, he hadn’t been able to arrive home until well after closing time. That the solace he found in the day’s end; seeing the kids and Tifa, being in their company; had slipped through their fingers. At a time when his spirit needed lifting the most. 

Despite the darkness that blanketed most of the room, Cloud was surprised to find light breaking from the kitchen. Ears perking up, he was drawn to the low rumble of pint glasses and crockery as they were submerged beneath dishwater.

Tifa was still up.

Cloud frowned. Even after having finished a likely, long, gruelling shift herself, Tifa couldn't take it easy. At least, once his deliveries were finished, his work was done and he could relax.

Yet, after her last customer had left, remnants of their patronage remained littered throughout the bar. Dishes that stacked up, tables in need of wiping and stocks that needed to be resupplied.

She could use a hand, Cloud thought.

Despite the ache and exhaustion that was beginning to seep into his bones, he moved towards the kitchen.

"Tifa?" He called, dipping his head through the gap in the open door.

"Oh, Cloud!" Her head turned from the small pile of dishes before her. Despite the apparent fatigue clinging to her, her visage remained bright and cheerful as always. It radiated through him in a warm, cleansing energy.

Cloud's eyes bulged, struck again in amazement by how Tifa could remain such an uplifting force, even when weighed down. It was a quality he had grown eternally indebted to, a constant guidance and support in his life.

"Welcome home!"

"What are you still doing up?" He accused, voice stern.

To anyone who knew them, Cloud lecturing Tifa might have come as amusing; as if they were swapping out the roles they took in one another's lives. For Cloud, it made sense. For as often as Tifa expressed concern for him, she deserved the same courtesy.

"Cleaning up," Tifa answered. "We were hit pretty hard tonight, as expected, but just have to wash the dishes and I’ll be done."

"You must be tired." Cloud continued, moving behind her. "You should sit down. Let me take care of this."

"What? No, I couldn’t ask you to do that. You’ve been making deliveries all day-"

"You’ve been standing all day. Come on," Cloud insisted, resting a hand against her shoulder; any inhibition he held, tempered by the need to comfort her. "Let me help you."

Tifa lips pursed as she considered the offer, that moment of hesitance stretching into an uncomfortable silence between them. Cloud swallowed, wondering if he had pressed too far.

He had taken encouragement when Tifa had, not only not pushed him away, but leaned unconsciously closer in his grasp. The tightness coiling in her muscles eased. It was contact that he relished, felt almost starved of.

After stewing in self-resentment, conscious of how much he’d taken her for granted, Cloud was overcome by the urge to hold her, to set things right. That she seemed to reciprocate, brought a flow of relief through Cloud.

It was enough to pull him further forward, hands seeking her own amidst the grime-stained dishwater. To his surprise, Tifa relented, the sponge loosening from her grip.

For as proud and committed as Tifa was to her work, allowing him to take over spoke to how tired she must have been. Cloud could already feel the groves pruning her soapy fingers as they brushed against his own. It pleased him, knowing he could help relieve some of that burden, simply by scrubbing away at a grease-laden plate.

Though he had hoped Tifa would leave for her bedroom, he noticed her idling beside him.

"Thank you, Cloud," She murmured, the words slipping through the haze of sleep gradually pulling her under.

Unfiltered by the guard of self-consciousness Tifa would, at times, lock herself behind, her voice held a raw, almost vulnerable, honesty. They were words spilt directly from the heart; without a thought, a moment to hesitate, or hold back any modicum of the love imbued into them.

They shook through Cloud, carrying up the curvature of his back in soothing tingles. 

"I- It's nothing." He answered, ducking his head. His concentration remained steady on the dishes beneath him, knowing if he turned the effect of her words would show in his expression. "Don't worry about it."

He was surprised and flushed by how genuinely touched Tifa had been at his offer; taking on a job she did every night, without thanks. It was the least she deserved and couldn't begin to even approach the lengths she had gone to for him.

Cloud couldn't help but wonder if such a simple action should really feel so fulfilling. If the happiness it gave her was something, he had any right to share in.

Guilt that he was still learning to let go of.

Gritting his teeth, Cloud scrubbed harshly at the pint glass in his hands. The grime broke away easily; an outlet for the tension and frustration those thoughts left him with.

He sighed, setting it aside on the dish rack. Drawn suddenly, to the steady pattern of breathing, he caught Tifa’s sleeping form in his periphery.

"Tifa?" Cloud turned.

With him offering to finish up cleaning, he thought she would have left, retreating to her room for the night.

Yet, she had opted to stay. Instead, finding sleep at the kitchen table, head cushioned by her arms. Perhaps wanting to bask in his presence a little longer; to reassure herself that he was around.

Her position looked uncomfortable, but that did little to sully the contentment easing her expression. Her hair billowed around her, stray wisps of black dragging listlessly with each breath. Cloud swallowed, his hand pulling unconsciously towards her.

He couldn't quite place what made it such a captivating by the sight for him.

It was not unlike what he’d seen underneath the Highwind, as he'd watched her sleeping form bathed in the morning's light. A memory of how, in her embrace, the dread for what awaited them had slipped away so easily.

But perhaps, more poignantly, it was a reminder of his place in their family. The love and sense of belonging they gave him. It was that feeling he had yearned for, that drove him to keep moving.

Still, he didn't want Tifa to lose out on deep, uninterrupted sleep. For all the time she had waited up for him before, Cloud wanted to ensure she was well-rested.

Moving from the sink, he carefully eased her chair back; not wanting it to scrape along the tiled floor. His arms surrounded her, lulled by the warm shape of her body. The weight was not a strain upon him. It was familiar, comforting.

Tifa leant into him without restraint, unconsciously seeking more of the comfort of his grasp. A heaviness bled into Cloud's eyes. His vision blurred as if drawn by the temptation to join her.

Shaking his head, Cloud dragged his gaze towards the ceiling; hoping the garish, neon lights would keep him awake. He flinched beneath the unrelenting glare.

He couldn't fall asleep. Not yet.

Not while he was standing in the middle of the bar, holding onto Tifa. He needed to get her into bed and then finish off the last of the dishes.

Cloud took slow, measured steps as he carefully navigated his way upstairs; knowing the footfalls of his heavy boots would carry. He didn't want to disturb Marlene and Denzel while they were sleeping.

Shifting Tifa's weight in his arms, he managed to blindly grasp the handle of her bedroom door, easing it open with his foot. Cloud could feel his strength waning as he struggled to keep her steady; all the while yanking the sheets from their tightly bound incarceration beneath the mattress.

With an exhale, she was coaxed begrudgingly out his arms.

He slipped Tifa gingerly underneath the covers, opting to avoid any unnecessary awkwardness by removing only her shoes. His hand lingered in caressing her cheek as he set her down; stroking away the fringe that guarded her serene expression.

Catching himself, Cloud was swift to make his leave. Determined to reach his own bed before temptation overtook him and he collapsed in her arms.

Turning, Cloud's eyes lingered on a box sitting at Tifa's nightstand, catching a flash of his own name. His heart jolted, a hopeful flutter rising through his chest. Stumbling, with a soft curse, Cloud's hand rubbed lazily against his eye; suspecting his tired brain may have been playing tricks.

Curiosity piqued, and vision clear, he turned back towards the nightstand, gaze immediately drawn to the package that lay there. As if still plagued by doubt, Cloud's hand sought the box, finding it unmistakeably solid in his grasp; real.

She had made him chocolates after all.

Holding them, in almost silent reverence, Cloud was touched. Though, unsure as to why she had kept them from him.

His hand traced over the box, wondering if it would be alright for him to take. While the gift had been intended for him, Tifa had never actually handed it over, and would certainly notice if it went missing.

Yet, it would be difficult to hide that he had seen it after he'd taken her up to her room. It was sitting in plain sight on her nightstand.

That could make things tense between them.

Flinching, Cloud gingerly placed the box back where he'd found it. Naively entertaining the odds that she might not suspect anything.

There must have been a reason for her to have kept them. There couldn't have been anything wrong with the chocolates otherwise Tifa wouldn't have wrapped them.

Besides, considering Tifa's cooking and what he had seen of the other gifts that he'd handed out over the day, he couldn't imagine it would be anything less than the highest quality. 

Perhaps she had had a change of heart? Hesitating, for one reason or another, at the last moment.

He suspected that if the chocolates had been made out of obligation, Tifa surely wouldn’t have had any reason to feel shy about sharing them.

It seemed clear to Cloud that Tifa's affection for him was still there. A fact that he had, not that long ago, held in doubt. If the chocolates she'd made were merely out of obligation, she wouldn't have felt any embarrassment in sharing them.

All of a sudden it seemed so very apparent, permeating through the way she acted around him. The gratitude she expressed to him over the seemingly most menial things, her willingness and desire to stay beside him even in her worst state.

He wondered what then, was making her hesitate. Was she unsure about his feelings? Had it been his own indecisiveness that had paralysed her, had kept them from both reaching happiness?

Shutting the door behind him quietly, Cloud resolved to erase that doubt once and for all.

Tifa would no longer be uncertain about his feelings. 

.

For Cloud, the month that followed was strenuous.

The revelation that Tifa, on some level, loved him; or at least, cared enough to make him something for Valentine's; spurred within him a maelstrom of emotion.

Having the mystery of Tifa's resolved for him, directly from the source, both elated and relieved Cloud. There still a chance he could fix things, that he could make their family happy.

But, at the same time, he was frustrated that he couldn't yet answer her. It ate away at him each time he saw her. In how the words, the gestures between them were suddenly painted in a different light.

Still, he was determined to hold out and bide his time until White Day. That way it could be something special. He couldn't reveal that he knew about the chocolates she'd made in secret, not until it was a fitting occasion to reciprocate.

He wanted to surprise Tifa, in a grand, romantic gesture that she deserved.

Being around Tifa was something Cloud relished. Even if they weren't doing or speaking about anything in particular, her presence always brought him comfort. It was the lone constant he hadn't managed to hold onto throughout his life.

Now it was as if he, and their relationship, had regressed. Back to how they'd been just a few months ago. He struggled even to maintain eye-contact, as though worried he might unconsciously give something away.

His shift in demeanour hadn't gone unnoticed by Tifa. Cloud sensed an awkward tension between them, as though Tifa was watching him with more scrutiny. From the pained, crestfallen expression that her eyes, the lines her face set unconsciously into and the worries she was carrying within herself.

It tempted Cloud all the more to speak up.

When he'd had the Stigma, Cloud's work had become his crutch. The time on the road helping to distract him and keep away from Tifa.

Taking on extra deliveries was not an option for Cloud. He had promised Tifa that he would be around more. He offered to help around the bar, hoping it would keep his mind off of things. Though, in doing so, he neglected one crucial detail. Tifa worked at the bar. To help out in any way around 7th Heaven; be it busing tables, taking orders; he would have to go through her. 

The only distraction afforded to Cloud was perfecting his White Day plans.

Though, they carried their own problem.

He still had no idea what he was going to do.

.

"Why are you and Tifa acting weird again, Cloud?"

Marlene stood, back straight and fists clenched at her sides, trying to appear as imposing as impossible. It was an endearing sight, the amusement it brought him perhaps lingering too long in his eyes.

With a huff, anger coiled Marlene's face tighter.

"Didn't she give you her chocolates?"

Cloud's eyes widened, fleetingly, surprised to hear she knew of Tifa's secret Valentine's Gift for him.

Though, they had made several batches together. Perhaps, his was among them.

Still, Cloud needed to choose his words carefully. As far as Tifa knew, he had never seen the chocolates. He would need to lie if he wanted to keep his story straight.

"What are you talking about?" Cloud asked, feigning innocence. Marlene, luckily, did not press the issue.

"You and Tifa hardly talk anymore. It's just like when you were sick. She won't say anything, but it's making her sad."

Cloud ducked his head, conscious this wasn't the first time he had been reprimanded by Marlene.

It was a stark contrast from the young girl who had once shied away from him.

"It's not that, Marlene." Cloud hesitated, wanting urgently to argue what she was saying.

His eyes held Marlene's earnestly, as his voice softened.

"I want to do something for Tifa on White Day. I'm just having trouble deciding what it should be."

"Really?" Marlene's looked hopeful.

Cloud flinched, scanning quickly over each corner of the bar before nodding.

An exuberant Marlene grabbed at his hand unexpectedly, pulling with all of her weight. Startled, Cloud lost his balance, stumbling onto his feet.

Confused, Cloud let Marlene guide him across the bar in the direction of the kitchen.

"You're supposed to give Chocolates to the girls you like." She eventually filled in.

"Oh, okay," Cloud said, glancing towards the front door. "Well, I guess I could buy some."

"Uh-uh," Marlene shook her head. "Home-made ones are better. They show you care."

Cloud paused, mulling the idea over. It hadn't been one he'd considered, owing to utter lack of culinary skill, but it was true.

There was more care given to something made from scratch. Not only in the effort put into specially making it, but in how it made the present unique.

It reminded him fondly of the home-cooked meals his mother used to make, the distinct flavours of her food he never quite since found replicated.

It was a treasured memory he longed to gift, to share with Tifa. Well, if not for one small detail.

"But I don't know how to make chocolate-"

"I can help you make them!" Marlene interjected; her heart seemingly set on the idea. "Tifa showed me how! She even wrote out a recipe for me to follow."

"I appreciate that Marlene, but I'm still not sure it's a good idea. Where would we make them? We can't do it at the bar, Tifa would find out."

"Hm, you're right." Marlene stopped, touching her free hand to her chin in thought. 

.

"I appreciate you letting us do this, Reeve."

"Not at all. Happy to help out an old friend."

It hadn't been a request Reeve expected to receive from Cloud; a kitchen he could use, where he wouldn't be found by Tifa. Still, it was one he was willing to accommodate. If, for nothing other than sheer curiosity. So, he allowed him use of one of the kitchens in the WRO, normally used by staff or for functions.

Cloud had taken the day off from deliveries, leaving with Marlene on the guise of taking her to see Barret. The excuse was flimsy. Judging the way her arms folded and eyes narrowed, Cloud sensed that Tifa felt so too.

Still, she could take comfort in knowing that he wasn't planning on taking off somewhere. Not while Marlene was with him.

"I see you're making more chocolates, Marlene. I have to thank you for the ones you sent me. They were delicious."

"Thanks!" Marlene beamed. "Tifa helped me make those, and now I'm helping Cloud."

"I see. Although I have to say, they do look slightly... different from how I remember mine."

Cloud lifted a glare over his shoulder at Reeve, whose hands rose defensively.

Though, as he looked back down at the chocolates, Cloud found it hard to argue.

He couldn't help but compare them to what Tifa had made and feel a flash of insecurity. Despite his effort and Marlene's guidance, the misshapen pieces had been the best he could achieve.

It was surprising. Even with his time training under Shinra, the countless drills and katas. Even his experience working on and fixing delicate machinery, like Fenrir. In the kitchen, a steady hand did not come easily to Cloud.

"It's okay, Cloud," Marlene reassured him. "They still taste yummy."

"Besides, Tifa will like them because they're from you."

Though he wasn't sure he shared the sentiment, Cloud smiled softly at the girl, nuzzling her hair with his hand. 

How he wished he had her optimism.

.

It amazed Cloud that Aerith's flowers were still blooming in the Church, the lone sign of life amongst the Midgar wreckage.

Perhaps it shouldn't have come as a surprise, knowing the adversity they had already endured through. When the land had been stripped almost completely bare; after Aerith had passed and could no longer tend to them; after the destruction of the city; they continued to grow.

It was a testament to their longevity.

While a part of Cloud worried that Tifa might misread an offering of Aerith's flowers; that she might think he still held feelings for their late friend; it felt like an integral piece of the present.

With the Buster Sword now resting amongst the flower beds, two of Cloud's closest companions were together, once again. Their love; much like the flowers; enduring, continuing to thrive, even amidst the harshest conditions.

For Cloud, it was a vow, a hope that he and Tifa's relationship may be similarly blessed.

Not to mention, Cloud knew his shoddy package needed some brightening up, and there were no flowers more vibrant than the ones in the church. Perhaps Aerith’s green thumb and knowledge of the flowers’ language would help him chose the perfect blossom to articulate his feelings for Tifa, with no ambiguity.

He had also hoped the presence of his friends would calm his nerves. That the older, more confident pair, never inept expressing their feelings, could offer him advice.

Though, as he knelt by the before the beds; hands brushing delicately over the petals; the fond, familiar voice that met his ears seemed to have other ideas. 

_It's about time_ , it teased. _Always thought you two kids would wind up together._

\- March 14th -

That morning, Cloud waited in his bedroom, longer than necessary. 

Normally up at around the same time as Tifa, it wasn’t until he’d followed the pad of her footsteps downstairs that he rose from his mattress. The motion of dressing and getting his things ready, was followed through at a deliberate, slowed pace.

As he fixed his pauldron to his shoulder, Cloud eyed the wrapped box tucked in away his dresser drawer. He hadn't wanted to make the same mistake as Tifa and leave it in plain sight.

Swallowing, he retrieved the chocolates from their hiding place amongst the folds of dark sweaters and linen, before he began his slow descent down to the bar.

Her eyes were closed when he first saw her, steam curling from a mug warming against her hands. The tendrils rose through her nostrils as she inhaled, sighing contentedly as the heat engulfed her.

Cloud remained at a distance, shuffling on his feet, indecisive as to how to approach her.

His plan had relied on her noticing him, being the one to start the conversation as usual. It was a familiar routine, a way for Cloud to ease in comfortably. Yet, with the room bathed in silence, he felt hesitant to disturb the peace she was enjoying. 

Awkwardly, Cloud settled on cleared his throat.

"Tifa."

"Oh, Cloud. I was beginning to think you’d already left."

“No, I just- something to take care of.”

Tifa's eyes narrowed as she set her mug down on the counter, approaching him. Her hand brushed against his arm, a look of concern radiating through her gaze.

"Cloud? Is something the matter?"

Drinking in the care brimming from those captivating, ruby eyes, Cloud's head swam. He was taken, momentarily, by a nervous itch to run to his hand through his hair. Gaze lowering, he focused instead on her touch; the point at which their bodies met; revelling in the comfort that emanated from it.

It was strange. Somehow, when looking into her eyes, his thoughts would become muddled. Yet, concentrating on something as intimate as her touch and the strength she offered so selflessly, made finding the right words seem easier. 

"Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just- I found something… A while ago.”

“Okay..." Tifa pressed. "What are you talking about?”

Cloud bit his lip, Tifa's gaze boring into him, expectantly. Still, as awkward and clumsy as the words may feel, with each one Cloud edged steadily closer towards an answer. That alone willed him to continue.

The sooner he could learn what her feelings were, for certain. No matter her answer, it would at least alleviate the doubt that was plaguing him.

“You stayed up late on Valentine's and ended up falling asleep. So, I took you up to your room, and...”

He trailed off, unsure of how to continue and conscious of the burning steadily building in his ears. Fortunately, the pieces seemed to click together for Tifa; eyes widening as her lips parted

"Oh. Oh!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." Cloud's hands rose. "It's just... It was right there. I couldn't help-"

"No, I understand. I'm sorry, Cloud. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

"It- It's fine. You didn't, really. It was very thoughtful of you. I just wish you had given them to me."

Tifa shoulders sagged as she felt the same way.

She had been too nervous that morning and hesitated at the last moment, hoping that when Cloud returned later from his deliveries, she would be better prepared.

Yet, even the time and the distraction of work were not enough.

With Cloud’s discovery, the memory she had hoped to create and treasure could now only evoke regret. The effort she had lovingly devoted to those chocolates, the expression of her feelings now wasted. The ideal moment she had hoped to share with Cloud, gifting him those chocolates. Deprived of relishing in the surprise and happiness it would bring to his features.

If only she had been bold enough.

If only she hadn't dawdled too long.

Perhaps then the chance wouldn't have slipped through her fingers.

"Well, I know this isn't exactly conventional," Cloud continued. "But I suppose that's fitting... For us."

As Cloud’s hands shifted towards her, Tifa looked up with a blink to find him holding out a crudely decorated box.

The lightest of gasps escaped from her lips, stomach fluttering at the endearing sight. She was bathed in the familiar clear blue of Cloud’s eyes, penetrating through to her heart, her memories.

The sorrow that had been coursing through her gradually began to fade. Was this what she thought it was?

"Happy White Day, Tifa."

Cloud exhaled. At last, it was out in the open. Almost immediately, Cloud sensed the tension hovering over him steadily dissipate; an incredibly freeing, liberating feeling.

Tifa silently held his gaze. Her cheeks flushed and hands outstretched towards him.

Cloud's stomach lurched as she shifted abruptly past him, a curtain of her dark hair brushing against his face. His eyes tracked her frantic movement, bearing the rush of hurt and bewilderment overtaking him, reading her departure as silent rejection. 

"Hang on a second."

“Tifa?! Where are you going?”

Her voice grew muffled as she ascended the stairs calling down to him. 

"We should do this properly, at least!"

Her words, awoke within him, the tiniest spark of hope.

Despite the urge to satiate his curiosity and go after her, Cloud remained rooted in place, trusting in Tifa's reassuring words. Believing they had always led him down the right path.

To Cloud's relief, he wasn't kept waiting long.

Tifa's face was flushed as she moved back down the stairs, steady breaths carrying from her throat. She ducked her head, tendrils of hair falling over her eyes as she hesitantly held the box out towards him.

For the trepidation crippling her, Tifa found the mettle to lift her gaze, needing every modicum of her heart, her feelings, to shine through the gesture.

Cloud's breath hitched at the love shining through her eyes.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Cloud... I- I'm sorry it's so late."

It was startling, how wrong they had been in their cynicism.

How convinced they had been that something as pedestrian as exchanging gifts, or a few, heartfelt words wasn’t enough to repair the strength, the hardships they had endured.

They were afraid too much changed for things to possibly work. That they could never again be those unscarred children sitting atop the Water tower; the only ones unblemished enough to be deserving of a tradition like Valentine’s.

Yet, the gesture served as a simple reminder of the ones they had fallen for, of time they had thought had been forever lost and feelings still rested in the recesses of their hearts.

That for all the scars and trauma they feared had irreversibly changed them, there remained a presence they recognised in one another, constantly fighting back to the surface. Something they caught, fleetingly, in the depths of each other’s eyes.

He felt truly happy.

Moved by a sudden burst of courage, Cloud crossed the last trace of distance between them, engulfing Tifa in his arms; wanting never to sever the contact between them again.

His gratitude was patterned against her forehead by his lips.

"Tifa, thank you."

**Author's Note:**

> Find me:  
> @spyder_tm on Twitter  
> spyder-m on FF.net and Tumblr


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